Confusable words

your vs you're: what's the difference?

your
possessive adjective
vs
you're
contraction
? ?

Your and you're sound exactly the same, which is why this is one of the most common mistakes even native speakers make in writing.

Your

possessive adjective

Your shows that something belongs to the person you're speaking to.

  • Is this your bag?
  • I really like your new haircut.

You're

contraction

You're is short for "you are." If you can't expand it back to "you are," it's the wrong word.

  • You're going to love this restaurant.
  • Let me know when you're ready.

Side by side

your you're
What it is A possessive, shows ownership A contraction of "you are"
Simple test Can you replace it with "my/his/her"? Can you replace it with "you are"?
Example check "your car" means the car that belongs to you "you're late" means you are late

Quick rule

If you can swap in "you are" and the sentence still works, use you're. If you're showing ownership, use your.

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